Plasma-enabled superhydrophobic coatings on mild steel

This work demonstrates a new pathway to the direct on-surface fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface coating on mild steel. The coating was formed using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma to convert a liquid small-molecule precursor (1,2,4-tricholorobenzene) to a solid film via plasma-assisted on-surface polymerization. Plasma treatments were performed under a nitrogen atmosphere with a variety of power levels and durations. Samples were analysed by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), Raman spectroscopy, optical profilometry, contact angle measurement, and potentiodynamic polarisation tests. Wettability of the films varied with the plasma parameters, and through the inclusion of graphene nanoplatelets in the precursor. High-dose plasma exposures of the nanoplatelet-containing precursor created superhydrophobic films with water contact angles above 150°. Potentiodynamic polarisation tests revealed that the superhydrophobic coating provided little or no corrosion protection.